


Eyes All Aglow

by TongueTiedRaven



Series: 12 Days of Prompts [7]
Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Candy Canes, Christmas, Christmas Tree, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Pre-Relationship, just these two, takes place right after the canon christmas party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TongueTiedRaven/pseuds/TongueTiedRaven
Summary: Shiemi’s smile came back every bit as dazzling as it had been. “I like the Candy Canes best!” She declared as though it was an important fact. Yukio’s eyes scanned the room but the only Candy Canes he could see were on the tree. To his amusement, he noticed they only went about half way up. As high as Shiemi could reach.“Candy canes?” He asked softly and Shiemi's eyes widened with excitement.Yukio found Shiemi in the dark and she proceeded to light up his night. Nothing unusual there.
Relationships: Moriyama Shiemi/Okumura Yukio
Series: 12 Days of Prompts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047784
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	Eyes All Aglow

**Author's Note:**

> Today's prompt is Candy Canes

“You’re up rather later.” Yukio noted as he walked into the room. Shiemi was standing by the window and peering up at the sky. She hadn’t bothered to turn on any of the lights in the room but it didn’t matter. There was a full moon out and almost no clouds. Moonlight was filtering into the room and illuminating her form so she almost seemed to be glowing with the silvery light. 

Breathtaking.

Yukio hurriedly adjusted his glasses so it wouldn’t seem like he’d been staring at her. She turned her head towards him with an excited smile that made his heart thump. 

“Yuki!” She exclaimed like his sudden appearances was the greatest thing that could have possibly happened. No one else had ever acted like that. None that he noticed at least. “I didn’t expect to see you!”

He smiled and strolled further into the dark room. The common room had been decorated by the others earlier and it was a bit much for his taste but he had to admit it made for a festive atmosphere. Shiemi was still wearing her Christmas kimono and antlers. The antlers had slipped in her silky hair and were lopsided now. His fingers itched to straighten them but he knew he’d never be quite brave enough to do something so reckless.

“I was finishing up a last minute assignment and noticed the door was open.” 

Shiemi flushed and stepped away from the window. Her hands clasped together in front of her kimono and she bowed. Yukio hated that slight formality, even though it was so _her._ He wanted her comfortable around him. She never bowed to Rin. It probably never crossed her mind to do something like that with Rin.

“Please let me know if I’m bothering you. Rin told me I could stay here for the night since we’ll be leaving for Kyoto before dawn.” 

“Of course.” He murmured and flipped the light on. Yukio was loathe to lose the sight of her bathed in moonlight but he needed focus and the harsh lighting would probably… help.

Darn it. Whoever had set up the tree had set it on the switch with the lamps. The tree and the lights turned on together so now Shiemi was covered in an array of pastel lights that made her glow in a new way. She looked almost flower-like in the blend of Christmas lights.

Shiemi straightened with a cheerful smile and looked at the tree. There was a blush on her cheeks that just made her look all the more alluring. 

“Isn’t the tree lovely?” She gushed. “I always wanted to decorate one but mother never let me.” She blushed and averted her eyes. “I understand why. I’m clumsy and I almost ruined the Christ-”

“You did not. We wouldn’t have had the party if it hadn’t been for you.” He clasped his hands behind his back so he didn’t fidget and offered her a smile. “You did a good job on the decorations.” 

Shiemi’s smile came back every bit as dazzling as it had been. “I like the Candy Canes best!” She declared as though it was an important fact. Yukio’s eyes scanned the room but the only Candy Canes he could see were on the tree. To his amusement, he noticed they only went about half way up. As high as Shiemi could reach. 

“Candy canes?”

She nodded. “They’re a decoration and a treat.” She beamed and bounced a little as she moved closer to the tree. “The best of both worlds.” Her thin fingers ran along a green and blue striped one gently. “I didn’t realize there were so many flavors until Izumo handed me the boxes.”

He strolled further in to the room “What’s that one?”

Shiemi opened her mouth made a ‘huh’ sort of a sound and furrowed her brow. “I don’t know… Green was spearmint but I don’t know what blue was.” She looked over her shoulder and noticed he was walking towards her. Her smile grew larger and Yukio ignored the way his heart thumped.

“I know!” She suddenly exclaimed and removed it from the tree. “We could try it together?” She offered the longer end to him. 

It was late, far too late to be eating sweets. Especially when they had an early trip tomorrow. Still… Shiemi’s green eyes were large and reflecting the numerous Christmas lights in a kaleidoscope of colors that made him think of countless days they’d spent wandering her gardens.

He nodded without quite realizing his head was moving. 

Yukio wrapped his hand around the candy cane and Shiemi jerked her end up so the piece of candy snapped in half. She set about peeling the plastic off her half and Yukio followed suit. He hadn’t had a candy cane in years. It would have been… it was probably before he started training to be an Exorcist. Christmas celebrations hadn’t stopped after that but Yukio hadn’t quite felt as jovial. 

Shiemi locked eyes with him, hers bright and unhindered by years of disturbing memories or a fear of Satan taking over. “Ready?” She asked softly. He nodded and she popped the tip of her cane in her mouth thoughtfully. Yukio mirrored her and tried to concentrate on the flavors and not the bubbly girl in front of him.

Spearmint was the obvious flavor. It was strong, sweet, and refreshing. It made him inhale and remember Shiemi’s garden. There was a corner near the house where she grew Spearmint, cabbage, and kale. It smelled like spring and, combined with the smiling girl, brought him back to the first time he’d met her. 

He’d been naive and happy to have a friend. 

“Oh!” Shiemi gasped, her eyes widening. “I think I’ve got it!” She shook her head, her smile slipping into amusement. “It’s so obvious.”

Yukio flattened his tongue against the cane but… nope. Still no idea what the other flavor was. It was far too subtle to pick out. 

He pulled the cane out of his mouth and couldn’t stop a smile at her eager grin. “What is it?”

“Cucumber!” She exclaimed. “It _has_ to be! They compliment each other so well and it’s what makes the spearmint strong!” She broke off a small part of the cane and popped it into her mouth like a mint. “What do you think?”

Yukio swallowed and nodded. 

“Want to try a different one?” There are _so_ many flavors on here I don’t know.” 

“It’s late.” He murmured and glanced out the window. He could see his reflection in the clean glass and, for a moment, his image looked blue. The warm feeling he got from being near Shiemi faded at the sight. 

Who knew how long before Satan realized what he had in Yukio?

“Late?” Shiemi asked. She seemed to realize the time and flushed. “Oh no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be keeping you up.” She clasped her hands nervously again. “You can go ahead to bed, Yuki, I’m fine.”

He tore his eyes away from the taunting window. “Shouldn’t you be heading to bed as well? We don’t have that much longer until we need to be on the train.”

Shiemi shook her head and fiddled with a few candy canes. “No, I’m fine. I’m much too excited to sleep yet.” She plucked a pink candy cane with red stripes off the tree. “I can’t wait to see the wedding and to celebrate new years with everyone.” 

Her excitement was infectious and Yukio’s lips almost quirked up. He just couldn’t quite shake the dread in his chest. Kyoto would be a challenge. He’d be forced alone with Rin for several hours and there wouldn’t be any place to hide if _He_ tried to take over.

Time was running out and there was still _so_ much to do and learn. He had to get the answers before he lost control of this body. Shirous had trusted him with so much and he couldn’t fail him.

Shiemi raised the candy cane and turned it over in her hands. “Traditionally, red is peppermint. However pink is typically strawberry. Do you think they combined the flavors or that it’s something different?”

Yukio had no idea. It didn’t seem important. He shouldn’t care. Shiemi cared though, so Yukio was curious about it. 

“I’d choose… something different.” He hummed thoughtfully and considered the cane as she unwrapped it. “Though peppermint seems probable.”

Shiemi offered a piece to him. “Want to find out?”

Yukio took the offered piece. He didn’t care about this, he really didn’t- but… It would be rude to refuse. It clearly meant a lot to Shiemi. 

“Go!” Shiemi declared like it was a race and not an experiment to find out the flavor of a candy cane. They should really just check the box-

It was peppermint and cinnamon. It should _not_ work and yet, it did. The opposing flavors should have been at war and result in something foul. Instead He was left with an intriguing flavor that left him wanting more. It was a little too sweet-he’d never had a candy cane that wasn’t a little too sweet- but it was delicious. 

Shiemi looked up at him, her smile huge. “It’s perfect.” 

It wasn’t, nothing was, but it was appetizing. He liked it better than the first candy cane. Yukio said as much and she pressed the candy cane into his hand with her warm, small, hand. 

“Take it.” She ordered. “There are a lot more on the tree.” Her eyes darted around the candy canes. “Think they’ll have candy canes in Kyoto?”

“Most likely.” He reached past her and plucked two off the tree. “But, if they don’t,” he passed them to her, “You could always take a few with you.”

Shiemi accepted the candy canes and smiled in a shy way that did _not_ make Yukio feel light-headed. 

“Would you try them with me?”

It was a terrible idea. He was sharing a body with Satan and there wasn’t much time left. Not that it mattered. Shiemi was smiling softly and she was glowing from the Christmas lights. Her antlers were still crooked and her eyes were hopeful. And Yukio? He was weak to it all.

“Of course.” He replied, softer than he wanted to. “But first, you need to head to bed. It’s late and we’ll have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Shiemi gave the tree one last, longing, look. “Alright. I’ll see you in the morning, Yuki.” She passed by him, holding the candy canes close.

Yukio stared at the tree for a few minutes longer and tried to forget the taste of candy canes and the lights reflecting in Shiemi’s eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _Christmas Song_ by Nat King Cole


End file.
